Behind Bars
by Selim
Summary: Sent to prison for a crime committed by his cousin, Hiccup is put in a cell with the notorious Black Dragon Leader, Toothless. Finding himself in the middle of an open gang war, Hiccup is faced with the options: become the Red Death's play thing for protection, or seek protection with Toothless. Modern AU Toothcup
1. Chapter 1

Behind Bars  
**By**: Selim  
**Rating**: M+  
**Warnings**: An alternate Universe consisting of - Drug use, swearing, homosexual themes, non-consensual sex, coercion, and murder  
**Summary**: Sent to prison for a crime committed by his cousin, Hiccup is put in a cell with the notorious Black Dragon Leader, Toothless. Finding himself in the middle of an open gang war, Hiccup is faced with the options: become the Red Death's play thing for protection, or seek protection with Toothless.  
**Pairings**: Toothless x Hiccup, Red Death (Queen) x Hiccup, Toothless x OCs, Red Death x OCs

**Disclaimer: I do not own HTTYD. This is a piece of fiction and the author is not making any monetary gain from its creation.**

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"Open the gates! New fish coming through!"

The thought that they were talking about _him _was enough to make the blood flow to Hiccup's cheeks but he didn't voice any annoyance to the name he'd been hearing since being led out of the courtroom only hours earlier. In fact, it was better than some of the things he had heard from the people in the crowds outside the back of the courtroom, where an unmarked van had been waiting for him to drive him to his new home in the outskirts of town.

Hiccup Haddock was a violent criminal, a man believed to have the blood of ice. As far as the news had portrayed him, he was a violent sociopath at night, with no concern to the rules of the city and should have been locked away for all eternity. In the end, it didn't matter that the actual offender was just short of six feet, gangly, and an accountant from a local firm in the city, son of the beloved mayor, Stoick Haddock. Everything that Hiccup had built up around himself for the last twenty-five years meant nothing the minute a little girl was shot outside her family home in the Berk suburbs and Hiccup's car had been spotted leaving the area.

Tall iron gates rolled open before a second layer, and then a third rolled after, allowing access to the van holding Hiccup. They entered the maximum security prison with a wave of unease and a few parting words from camera crews that had found the secure locations that they were going, eager to film the last seconds of Hiccup's believed freedom.

"I swear." Hiccup made a final effort to get his story across to someone that would listen, the driver of the van protected by a metal wall and flexi glass window. "I didn't kill that girl! Don't bring me here!"

The man didn't listen as the van was pulled around to the new arrival entrance on the side of the building. Two burly men in full gear stood wait, their faces set as they took him in. Were they expecting some terrifying creature? Hiccup swallowed, having to tilt his head back to look at them as the doors to the van were ripped open.

"Hiccup 'Horrendous' Haddock the Third?" The guard read from his clipboard, offering only the faintest of glances up at the man.

"It was a joke," Hiccup supplied on instinct when people mentioned his middle name. Having such an odd second name had not helped his court case. "Between my dad and uncle. Whoever had the first son would name the loser's first born son. Mom won out in the end with Hiccup, which I still lost if you think about it and-"

"-Stand and face the wall of the van. Officer Griff will be putting transfer locks on you. You will not speak unless spoken to." The guard nodded at one of the towering behemoths waiting along the doors. Without another word, Hiccup turned around to face the van wall, trying his best to ignore the shifting of the van as the man handled his temporary cuffs with more force than necessary. His temporary cuffs were chained to more secure ones that double linked his hands to his feet and then to the guards waiting hands. He was tugged back, causing his balance to shift. "Turn around."

He did just that, taking a deep breath as he was lead down the two steps of the van and into the building, always a step in front of Officer Griff while Goon Two remained a step ahead of him. The one with the clipboard followed after, writing in information as they moved through a bleak hallway.

The first door they passed was ID locked; both guards had to slide security passes for the green light to switch on and the door to hiss open. They stepped inside to find a small window with a small woman sitting behind the security bars. Officer with Clipboard passed the board over before stepping back to Hiccup's elbow with his arms behind his back. "Hiccup Horrendous Haddock, E50BN."

Glancing over the paperwork with more annoyance than anything else, the woman took in Hiccup with a snort. "He's the criminal mastermind of Berk?"

"The brains behind the whole operation."

She rolled her eyes before sliding a clear bag under the thin panel. It was collected by Officer Griff. "Security tag, level orange. He will be bunking with M05LG, Elexander McCaine, currently in solitary."

"I thought Toothless was already sharing a bunk with Anders?"

"I did just say he was in solitary now didn't I?" She shook her head. "There's nowhere else to put him. I told the main branch that there wasn't room. He shouldn't even be here to begin with. Nepotism is what it is, made a few calls to daddy to stay as close to home as possible."

Actually, Hiccup had rather of been sent across country where no one knew who he was related to much less the crimes he was suspected of. He couldn't help but think his father's ever present PA, Gobber, had something to do with this because he was like a son to the man. Either way, he was here, in prison, with a life sentence with no parole for a crime he knew he didn't commit.

He realized the woman was still talking. "Visitation hours are set, should you lawyer feels it necessary to speak with you they can be modified appropriately. Family is not allowed to send outside packages, all needs can be purchased at the prison store with your ID. Should you lose your ID, you must inform the prison ward immediately. The cost of a replacement will come out of your earnings. Your assigned job at this time is in the kitchens, you will eat between the morning hours of nine-to-ten, one-to-two, and eight-to-nine after everyone else has been served and the kitchen cleaned up. Upon good behavior you will be allowed to move through jobs but the pay grade will not change." She must have noticed the confused look on Hiccup's face because she elaborated further, "You will be paid five cents every hour of work. You will work from seven in the morning until eight in the evening with breaks periodic throughout the day. Recreation time for new fish is between three and five. Use them at your leisure." The last remark was made with a sneer.

Swallowing, Hiccup looked away from her piercing gaze, not sure what to say. On one side, that was a lot of work for so little but at the same time maybe if he was busy he wouldn't find himself in any trouble. He'd heard horror stories about prisons and there was no doubt in his mind that BMS was true to the stories. Besides, apparently his roommate was in solitary for something he'd done to his old bunkmate, that couldn't possibly be good.

"Do you have any questions?"

"I had things at the local holding." Which included a few of his more favorite books that he'd read cover-to-cover since being arrested seven months earlier, a stuffed bear his mother had made for him, and a few pictures of his family, friends and ex-girlfriend, Astrid. "Will I be getting them back?"

The woman shifted through the paperwork. "All items are in the evidence locker at the moment. Any contraband will be removed from them. The bear will not be given over due to possible Grade C threat."

"It's a stuffed toy," Hiccup argued. "My mother made it for me! He's not a threat to anyone!"

"Knives and other shanks can be hidden within the stuffing. Possible drugs can be carted through the bear. It will not be allowed on your person." She sneered again, as if asking if he thought she was stupid. "Your reputation precedes you, Haddock. We will not be fooled."

Hiccup nodded. "I understand." He didn't, but that was beside the point.

"He's all yours Officer Harris. Griff." She nodded before stamping his paperwork. His new ID was slid into the next door, then the two guards' ID. The light flashed green before an alarm blared down the hall.

It was another long, empty hall. Hiccup was lead three doors this time before being placed in a small holding cell on the furthest corner. From the tiny bared window above the door, he had a view of the prisoner holding block, the array of gray uniforms pressed against bars and on beds. Thousands of men, all notorious criminals of the worst variety, hooted and called to the guards from their lofty spots.

"Turn around, drop your pants." A third man - a doctor Hiccup hadn't seen - stepped up, snapping on a pair of latex gloves. Tugging at the hem of his loose orange pants, Hiccup did just that. They pooled at his feet, around his cloth shoes and shackles. "Bend over." Hiccup was pushed against a podium, his legs spread out as far as they would go. The breath caught in his throat as the gloved fingers pressed against his anus open, pushing in and stretching. He could feel the warm breath of the doctor over his bottom and it made him tense, pulling back.

"Clear." The doctor stood back, snapping off his gloves. He handed the guards a clear container with a familiar nod towards the open toilet in the corner. Led over with bow legs, Hiccup begged to pull up his trousers but he was ignored as the cup was placed in the center of the urinal and his body twitted to face it. "Pee in that cup."

"I, I don't have to pee."

"You have had more than twelve ounces of fluid since this morning and little else. We can stand here all day if we need to." The doctor said matter-of-factly. "So as we wait, I have questions for you." He went through some preliminary questions that his records would already have but were necessary for confirmation. Age, place of birth, date of birth, social security number if available. Finally, he seemed to move onto questions that always floored Hiccup. "Current drugs in use?"

"I'm not on a medicine."

There was a shared look of annoyance between all the men in the room. "Current drugs in use?"

"I'm not-!"

"All the same, it'll come back in a toxin screening." The doctor made note. "What drugs have you used?"

Hiccup blinked at the thought. "I...I had some pot once, but I was in college and everyone was doing it." He actually knew where these questions were coming from but he wanted to remain to his stance that they snagged the wrong guy. In fact, by now the _right _guy was probably on his way to Mexico or some desolate place. "I don't do drugs. I don't know how that cocaine got in my house."

"250 pounds of cocaine is hard to notice in your guest bedroom."

"Now Fred, it was hidden behind the 300 pounds of marijuana and crystal." Officer Griff smirked at Harris.

Hiccup swallowed. "I seriously don't know what Snotlout was doing in that room. It wasn't mine. If I had known he was running a drug ring through my living room, I would have kicked him out." Instead, he had learned it while a cop was digging heavy knees into his spine while cuffing him and dogs went ballistic in almost four spots of his apartment. The biggest load had been found in his guest room, which held the main supply of drugs in Berk. "You have to believe me. I'm clean. I have a drug test every month, there's never been anything in my system."

"You will be assigned to a drug treatment program every Wednesday at five to eight. Attendance is mandatory. Drug test will be conducted randomly."

They never listened to him because the story seemed so strange even for Hiccup's ears. He still didn't want to think that his cousin was supplying drugs to Berk. He didn't want to think that the friends he had tossed him under the bus when the shit hit the fan, letting Snotlout flee the country and detection. Everything Hiccup said was countered by his so-called friends, eager to protect their (likely) dealer than the person who'd helped Snotlout when his life hit the rocks.

He finally peed thirty minutes later with the aid of another large cup of water and some non-salty food, with the audience and two blood tests. His preliminary psych-evaluation was done the same day, with the unanimous decision being he was in denial and treatment would begin in a week.

Tired and annoyed, Hiccup was redressed in the prison uniform of gray and white before led down the corridor of cells that lined up both walls. Wing Blight, it was called according to the guards at his elbows. There were three levels of cells in this wing, the top level was possessed by the most notorious of criminals on death row, the second and first tier were the multiple sentences. Hiccup was led up to the end of the second tier on the left side, on a walk of shame filled with catcalls and antagonizing by other inmates. A few tried reaching out of the two layers of bars to grab at the guards but Hiccup kept his eyes forward, his cuffed hands tight.

His new cell was very much lived in and bleak. There was an attached desk in the corner, used as a book storage that was in a state of disarray. Next to that was the open toilet. Against the center of the wall were two beds bunks. The lower bunk was lived in with hot women, beautiful cars, and gang paraphernalia coating the walls. Along the mattress was dried blood.

Hiccup ignored it in favor of his top bunk, with its plain (hopefully clean) white blanket, thin mattress, and rock hard pillow. His box of personal possessions had already been brought up and the items were tossed out on his mattress.

"Best get your sleep tonight, going to be a long first day tomorrow." The guard pushed pressed him into the cell. Both heavy doors closed behind with the turn of nearly two guard keys. "Cuffs." The guard ordered. Holding his arms out, Hiccup watched as the heavy links were released. The chain leading to his legs were next and he was free to move his limbs for the first time in almost twenty-four hours.

Curled up on his bunk, Hiccup held tightly to the picture of his father and wished that someone would realize the mistake the system had made.

The arm woke up him the next morning, a loud horn telling all the inmates to wake up and wait. Each cell block was led out with the aid of guards towards their early morning toiletries in a public shower. Most of the men were quiet, lathering up in the allotted five minutes. Cuffed firmly, those that wanted to were helped with task like shaving before they were watched during brushing teeth and other morning task.

Grip firm on his soap, Hiccup cleaned up quickly while fully aware of the stares he was being given by both the guards and inmates. They bore into his skin, a scary reminder that he wasn't at home. He was fresh meat; no one cared what he said. He received help getting the morning shadow off his face before brushing his teeth with a strict regimen he'd had since he was four.

First task of the day was work. The kitchens were sterile and bleak like the rest of the prison. Five other inmates were already along the walls when he was dropped off, waiting for orders from the head cook, a formidable man who was hired for his ability to maintain criminals. Cooking wasn't exactly the words Hiccup would use to describe his job. He was set with a pile of oranges and instructed to peel each one without the aid of sharp tools. The next guy put slices of toast on a plate while the next dropped pre-packaged jelly on each tray. It was an oiled machine, tray after tray was made and carried to a waiting line of hungry inmates and bellyached about the cheapness of the meal.

The last groups of trays made were for those in solitary confinement before Hiccup was told to go with two guards to take trash to the bin. Fingers aching, Hiccup was given a tray with _two _oranges for his hard work and sent out to join the rest of the inmates, most of whom were sitting with an empty tray.

He was chewing on his orange while thinking he never wanted to peel another orange again when a heavy weight pressed against his back. "Give me your extra orange, Fish."

"'M name isn't fish." Hiccup muttered, chewing absently on his fruit. "And I worked for this fruit, you can't have it."

The tug at his hair that pulled his head back made him openly wince. Above him stood a tall, burly man with red hair and a flat nose. He was in his late thirties, if Hiccup could guess, and looked rugged. His golden-brown eyes narrowed. "Think you're cute do you?" He reached and grabbed the fruit and Hiccup's oatmeal. "I wasn't asking." He informed the brunette in a firm voice. "When I tell you to give me something you best do as you're told."

His hand swiped out, knocking Hiccup's tray to the floor. It clattered along the floor, skim milk spraying and toasts crumbling. Staring at the mess in horror, Hiccup bit back the choked a cry when he was tossed into the mess. "Swim Fish, swim." The man smirked. Pushing himself up, the brunette cried out as a foot pressed against his back, shoving him into the mess again. Not sure what else today, Hiccup jerked his arms in a swimming motion, effectively moving milk and soggy toast around him.

The man laughed as did several of the inmates watching. "I think we're going to have fun, Fish."

Hiccup swallowed hard, watching as the big man walked away with his posse. His body shook as he pushed himself up, finding his seat with rocky nerves. The inmates around him shielded their gaze fast, focusing their attention into the remains of breakfast. "Who is that?" Hiccup asked, hoping for an answer.

No one gave it to him.

After breakfast he was called up with the other breakfast inmates, instructed to clean the mess left in the canteen. Hunched over the mess of his breakfast on the floor, Hiccup scrubbed the mess under the annoyed watch of a guard, who had accused the brunette of purposely tossing his food to the ground.

"Don't let it get to you; they're like that with everyone." The tall, slender man cleaning tables chimed almost automatically. Looking up at him, Hiccup's bottom lip quivered. "The guards are suspicious of the new guys." The Filipino man shrugged his shoulder. "If you stay out of trouble they tend to ignore you more. Give it a month or two and you'll fall off the radar." He dropped to his knees next to Hiccup, helping the brunette pick up the soggy bread and milk.

"And those guys, the ones that... did this?"

"Guards won't do anything. They're scared of Red."

"'Red'?"

The man nodded, wringing his cloth out over the bucket. "Short for 'Red Death' - it's his position in the Red Dragons. The leader, actually. Samuel Thompson, the Red Death. You'd best just do what he says and keep out of their line of fire. Eventually Red will grow bored with you if you don't play back."

Now that was unnerving. "Surely it can't be that bad?" He grabs the bucket and starts for the kitchen, which is preparing already for the lunch rush soon to come. He and the strange man enter the kitchens, where they're quickly assigned to tray duty. Hiccup cleans, the man dries, and then they'll put bowls of food on the trays ten minutes before the lunch rush starts.

"You really are a new fish." The man chokes back a laugh. Hiccup glowers at the name. "Well, welcome to Berk Maximum Security - hell on Earth. Located fifty miles from Berk and Nowhere. Only the worst of the worst get sent here. Fishhook, by the way."

"Hiccup and surely that's not your real name."

"Of course not but I prefer it. My gang name, the only tie left from me and it." Fishhook scratched at a tough piece of grime on the tray. "Came here for a triple homicide, mostly a B and E gone terribly wrong. The old lady was supposed to be in Florida for the week but her husband got sick so her and their daughter was still in the house. I panicked, shots were fired. Now, I'm serving three consecutive life sentences. Yourself?"

"Drive by - which I didn't do, mind you. Oh and possession with intent to sell."

"Seems like an awful little to be at this big name place."

Hiccup frowned. "Well, nearly six hundred pounds of contraband will do that. Oh, and it was a six-year-old girl riding her bike down the street, apparently I planned the whole thing for some vengeance scheme. Never mind I had the flu that week and was nestled deeply in my bed hoping to die."

"Ah." Fishhook's voice mocked him. "Well, none of these guys here actually did their crimes either."

"No, I'm serious." Hiccup hissed. "It was no my no good cousin. He just has friends that will give him a fucking alibi. 'Snotlout was with us at the habitat for humanity' - whatever, Snotlout wouldn't know charity if it bit him in the ass. I was just the fallout guy, this unsuspecting idiot that let him crash at my place for a few days. 'Oh, you need my car, well I can just take the bus; good luck on that interview.' He used my car; retaliated against someone who didn't pay for the goods, gave the keys back to me with a happy smile and said he cleaned it too. Next thing I know, the cops are in my house and I'm being arrested for a hit and run."

"Sucks. Did you tell your lawyer?"

"My public defender-"

"Ouch."

"-Right, guess you understand that. Even though I was a high profile case, the evidence was piled against me and too much of a bother to do a thorough case. My legal advice: just plead guilty and we'll negotiate a plea deal." Hiccup tossed his hands up, jarring the tray as he went. "I shouldn't be here."

"Just stand tight and keep low. They'll fix this blunder while you're alive if you do that." Fishhook shrugged his shoulders. "And watch out for Toothless and Red."

"Toothless is my cellmate." Hiccup grumbled. "I should think he'd be my closest friend- what are you looking at?"

"Shit, Toothless? Night Fury Toothless?"

That...didn't sound good. "What?"

"Look, there're two gangs in this place - the Red Dragons and the Black Dragons. It doesn't matter who you've pledged to before these walls, you either join the Reds or the Blacks. Smart people stay out of their sight but you...fuck. You were thrown right in the middle of it. Toothless is the leader of the Black Dragons, the Night Fury. He just went into solitary for murdering his last bunk mate, who refused to give up his ties with the Bloods for either Reds or Blacks."

The thought of a vicious creature living under his bed came back. Pointy teeth and glowing red eyes, probably with claws. The thing of nightmares. "They wouldn't..." He felt the air quicken in his lungs. Oh God, he was going to die. He was stuck in the middle of a gang war zone because of a shortage of beds.

"Hiccup, you need to breath." Fishhook rubbed his shoulder. Hiccup grabbed the kitchen island, trying to focus on his erratic breathing but it was becoming nearly impossible. "A-As..." He grabbed Fishhook's arm, giving a motion for his inhaler, medicine he hadn't needed since he was small and slightly overweight.

He was led out by the guard, toward sickbay two corridors of spiraling mazes over. Disposable inhaler given, he laid out on the small bed, staring up at the ceiling and processing everything as the sound of life moved around him. "Can't stay here forever, Haddock." The doctor said some time.

Shaking, Hiccup let the guard lead him out of the small clinic, thumbing his pad over a computer console in the corner of the room. "You're supposed to be in the kitchens, Haddock. Report at once." He shut the door to the clinic all too quickly. In the narrow halls, Hiccup met the glances from guards that were making their rounds, to older convicts cleaning the floors, and finally the open space used for recreation by those that could make their own hours at their private jobs.

He was halfway across the hall, hugging the wall for added protecting, when his arm was grabbed. Pulled from the open space, Hiccup found himself pushed against the walls of a nearly empty laundry unit. Three burly men stood back, each one with their shirts not tucked, proudly showing red dragon tattoos in various location, most of which concealing an earlier tattoo from prior gang life. In the center, in all his muscle and height, was Red.

"Fish."

"Please, leave me alone." Hiccup looked away. He nearly jumped from his skin as a fist narrowly clipped his ear.

"I told you I don't ask!" Red hissed, his dark eyes filled with rage. He tucked his head back, small snout-like nose in the air. "I'm here to give you an offer you simply _can't _refuse. Life behind the bars of Berk Maximum won't be easy, but I can make it more bearable." A smile coiled over his face, showing all teeth. "You just have to join us."

"I...I..." Hiccup shook like a leaf. _Just say I don't want to join you._

"Meatlug, Eyecatcher, go watch the door. Fish needs some persuading."

_Oh god, he's going to kill me. _Hiccup watched helplessly as the two goons behind the leader of the Red Dragons left the room, keeping the guards away from the room. The minute the door clicked, Hiccup tried to rip away from the powerful leader, to crawl to one of the corners of the laundry room for safety. He didn't make it past one of the sturdy plastic benches in the middle of the room. Slammed face first into them, the brunette cried out as a piercing pain ripped through his mouth but the thought didn't last long as he was grabbed again, twisted like a cheap doll around, on his knees and at the mercy of the powerful gang leader.

"My bitches get all the protection in the world." The redhead smirked, tugging at the hem of his uniform pants, releasing his dick from the confines. It was thick, even half-hard. There was no question in Hiccup's mind what he was implying at this moment. Tugging at his arm, Hiccup screamed, trying to kick the bigger man away.

_I'm going to be raped, I'm going to be raped..._

Shit like this wasn't supposed to really happen! Rumors! His lawyer promised he'd be safe! Hiccup screamed as his arm was twisted painfully and that was all Red needed to shove his hard dick down the new convict's throat.

"Watch your damn teeth or I'll knock them out." Red grabbed the sides of Hiccup's face, pushing the boy so far forward the tip of his cock brushed along the back of the brunette's throat. Gag reflex twitching, the new convict tried pulling back, focusing on breathing through his nose which was becoming clogged with snot as his eyes watered. The taste was putrid, masculine and unclean all rolled into revolting. His stomach tossed as the first taste of semen slipped along his tongue. "Fuck, so good."

Red's hips began snapping forward, fucking the younger man's mouth. Each thrusts forced him deeper and deeper, around the pulsing gag reflex and saliva catching. Hiccup was a mess, he couldn't stop the tears and his fingers had moved instinctively to the other man's hips, trying to force him out, but only leaving scratches in their wake.

And then it happened. The salty bitter taste of semen hit the back of his throat with no warning. Red grabbed the back of Hiccup's head, pushing his cock as far back as he could, enjoying every second of his ejaculation while his partner choked.

The second he was released, Hiccup threw up. The mess of bile of semen spilled from his lips in a series of convulsions that made his shake harder. "And now no one will bother you." Red said simply, stepping back and fixing his trousers. Hiccup stared at him with misty eyes, Adam's apple bobbing. "And now I just ask for something in return."

"Please...leave me alone," croaked Hiccup. His breathing was shaky.

"No, that's your position in our little group, and you seem to fit into it so well. Look at yourself." The brunette didn't want to. "No, blood in, blood out. That's the rules. I want you to kill someone for me."

"N-no..."

"Don't you understand yet, Fish?" Red mocked jovially, swinging his arms around. "This is my world. I can make the rest of your life miserable and I do mean your life. Your sentence. Or...I can make your days in my fine establishment as bearable as possible. I always take good care of my bitches." He tilted his head back, looking squarely into Hiccup's eye. "A little birdie tells me you're bunking with my old friend Toothless."

Scared, Hiccup nodded.

A toothbrush slid over to Hiccup, catching the vomit in the bristles. The end of the toothbrush was carved into a sharp tool - a shank. "I want you to kill him and then you'll have all the protection in this prison."

"And, and...if I don't?"

"That was only a taste of what I can do. Tell me, Fish...can you survive each member of my groups' cock in you? I can assure you, not all of them are clean... but I do love parting gifts." Hiccup swallowed. "Then again, you might not survive the end of the night. If you're not in with me, then you're in with Toothless." His big, meaty hand fell on Hiccup's head, rubbing his scalp as one would a dog. "And will have to kill you if that's so. But you're a smart boy, Fish. You'll choose right." Red turned and left the room.

Fishing the shank from the mess, Hiccup held it tightly to his chest, not sure what to do.

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

Behind Bars  
**By**: Selim  
**Rating**: M+  
**Warnings**: An alternate Universe consisting of - Drug use, swearing, homosexual themes, non-consensual sex, coercion, and murder  
**Summary**: Sent to prison for a crime committed by his cousin, Hiccup is put in a cell with the notorious Black Dragon Leader, Toothless. Finding himself in the middle of an open gang war, Hiccup is faced with the options: become the Red Death's play thing for protection, or seek protection with Toothless.  
**Pairings**: Toothless x Hiccup, Red Death (Queen) x Hiccup, Toothless x OCs, Red Death x OCs

**Disclaimer: I do not own HTTYD. This is a piece of fiction and the author is not making any monetary gain from its creation.**

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Thanks for reviewing: Loti-Miko, Seiryuseijin, Naveen0, Lilladyex, Koifish, Matthias, NekoConsulting, PaulinhaKawaii, Captain-jawn, a person, Theresaw2010, YoshisSupport, Spidermaster, CGJ, Chess, Blazelight790, TheNerds, Guest, Your Failing Epicness, Anniewanny2, PureEmperor, Neppi-chan, Guest 2, Seth the Inu, AVPLover96, Guest 3, Moonlitcat, Samuel May-bird, BabayBunny, and QuirkyRevelations

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The first time Hiccup saw Toothless was nearly a month into his incarceration. Through the rumor mill, he'd heard that Toothless had murdered his bunk mate during a paranoid fit, believing the man was out to get him. From the same mill, the accountant had learned that there had been an attack planned on the leader of the Black Dragons, orchestrated by Red. Already finished with his punishment of solitary confinement, the tall man came out with a fury of talk that caught even Hiccup's attention.

Dark skin and long, well managed hair, the man stood taller than Hiccup. He was toned from years of prison time, with slick abs that made Hiccup a little self conscious of his rapidly sinking belly fat. With bright green eyes that contrasted with his skin, he was a mix of beauty and beast. It intrigued Hiccup, not sure if he should be frightened of the man or flock towards him like nearly half the men at Berk Maximum Security. Even the guards seemed to be under his spell, especially the one that patted Toothless' butt upon releasing the chains with the most seductive of smiles. The Black Dragon's leader returned the smile before flicking his attention to Hiccup.

Settled at Red's feet, where he'd been instructed to always sit, Hiccup followed the gang leader from one side of the court yard to the next, considering every movement. Red's big meaty hand dropped on his flat hair, tugging his head back to make eye contact with. The Irish man sneered. "That's Toothless," He said as if Hiccup hadn't heard all the gossip. "He came from the big city out in the east. Everything from khat to heroine, he's sold it." Red tilted his head back. "Took over the Black Dragons when Rise Dome took the final needle. What I need you to do is take the shank I gave you and stab him right... here." Red moved his hand down, pinching the middle of Hiccup's chest. Sheer willpower kept Hiccup in place.

It had taken him a month to learn the basics about living at BMS, especially under Red's scrutinizing eye. While not a formal member of the Red Dragons, he was under their protection, primarily as the leader's servant. Red had first dibs at Hiccup's breakfast, lunch, and dinner tray, use of Hiccup's water ration, and access to Hiccup's earnings. If Hiccup wanted any extras, such as access to his shower, food, or money, he had to give something up for it.

At that moment, Hiccup exchanged blow jobs for these things but Red promised to back off more in exchange for sex. Hiccup wasn't willing, at that point, to give something so precious up. Fishhook had informed him that just short of taking it, putting out was the highest form of currency in BMS and should be handed out with care.

"W, what if they catch me?" Hiccup nodded towards the guards standing for a smoke outside the gate. A few of the prisoners were leaning against the gate parallel to them, begging for a cigarette.

"You wait until the lights dim at eleven. At midnight, two guards will make their rounds. When they're finished, you will do it. You might have to stab him a few times. He won't die easily. Like a vampire you have to stab him... right... here. Again. And again." He patted Hiccup's chest again, roughly. "You'll do it for me."

"You will protect me, right?" Hiccup whispered.

"No one will ever touch you if you do this one thing." Red smiled just as the bell chimed signaling the end of recreational time. The two groups entered separately, moving to their proper lines as indicated by the guards for checks. Toothless stood next to Hiccup, glowering at him with a mixture of annoyance and confusion but didn't say anything. Grabbing the hem of his nicely worn prison uniform, Hiccup looked the other way, feeling guilt burn.

"Block 22B?" Toothless' deep rumble finally asked. Hiccup swallowed, nodding his head."You snore?"

Hiccup shook his head.

"Good. The last guy snored." Toothless looked away. When Hiccup didn't turn his gaze away, the leader of the Black Dragon's continued. "That's why I had to kill him."

Gulping, Hiccup craned his head to look at Red, nearly fifty guys behind him. The beginning of the cell block, far enough away from his rival. The guards tried to keep the most dangerous of the gang members separated but occasionally a Red and a Black Dragon ended up in a cell together. There had been a rumor, at one point, that it was purposely done to lower numbers in the overpopulated prison cells.

They didn't say another word as they were deposited in their cell. After both gates were locked, Toothless shuffled through the tear in his mattress, pulling out a hidden bag of cookies. The cookies were deposited of the desk, where the leader settled with a stack of letters. Climbing up to his bunk, Hiccup settled his head on his arms, looking up at the ceiling. Twisting around, he glanced at the dark skinned man. "C...can I have a cookie?"

Toothless didn't look to have heard him, grabbing another cookie between manly fingers, dirty at the nails. Sticking his tongue out at the man, Hiccup turned to his side, tightening his fingers around the lump of shank in his pillow.

The lights always went out at eleven, leaving the prison block in an orange glow of emergency lights and florescent hall lamps. Toothless climbed into bed after shutting off the desk lamp, stuffing his horde of cookies under the mattress again. On his bed, Hiccup remained utterly still, not sure how to take the first night with a roommate. Was Toothless going to be one of those rapists Red had warned him about? Hiccup had been lucky so far, with his cellmate in solitary but some guys hadn't seen a woman in months, even years.

Would Toothless force Hiccup into sex like Red was more than ready to? He only saw Red during recreation times, every other time was too crowded for him to be molested without the guards noticing. Toothless, however, had the cover of dark in their cell at the end of the prison block.

Two guards came back tapping on cells with the batons and giving final warnings to anyone still over their desk lights. Morning would start at six, with a rude wake up call. They didn't have to go to sleep but no lights after hours. Hiccup cracked an eye open at Officer Griff and a younger guard making rounds. The younger one checked their cell before turning back to do a recheck of all the prisoners. Faintly, Hiccup could hear the guard listing out prisoner names, ensuring they were all accounted for.

The hall fell quiet as countless snores filled the hall. In some cells, there was light chatter, but that quickly fell into silent whispers and then silence as the minutes ticked by. Hand on his stomach, Hiccup waited and breathed evenly. All he could think about was the shank under his head and the quiet man under his bunk. _Red promised to leave you alone if you do this. Blood in. _Hiccup eased the sharpened toothbrush out of his pillow and placed it into an easy to access location before he crawled to the end of the bed.

"T, toilet," he rushed out when green eyes reflected back at him in an eerie glow. Toothless tugged his hard pillow over his head, tossing on his side as Hiccup moved around the bed towards the side toilet. In the dark, he could almost feel eyes on him (Toothless'?) and it made his bladder retract in him and only a dribble of pee escaped him. Breathing deeply, Hiccup forced his nerves to calm and let a stream come.

The sink automatically turned on for fifteen seconds with the flush of the toilet. He used his prison pants, hanging up on the rail of his bed, to dry his hands while reaching for the blade. The eerie glow of the hall lights made the wooden toothbrush tint red, sparking the sensation of warmth in his hand even though his heart felt cold. Was he really going to do this?

Toothless' back was turned to him. Red had specifically said his heart but did it matter as long as Toothless was dead?

Raising the blade, Hiccup closed his eyes. _Just slam it down Haddock. The quicker you are the more painless it'll be._

His arm felt like lead as he swung the blade down. Something was immediately wrong when the toothbrush impeded itself into the target. He always thought the spine would be much harder, what with the vertebra and ribs in the way, but this had felt soft. Cracking open an eye, Hiccup felt his blood leave him. He'd missed, the knife was embedded into the mattress with Toothless watching him. He squeaked as his arm was grabbed, ripped away from the weapon by the glowering leader of the Black Dragons. Toothless' tight grip on his wrist made him wince and pull but the hold wouldn't break.

Sitting up, the dark skinned man pushed Hiccup against the wall. There gaze held for seconds before Hiccup was released. The man didn't say anything more as he used Hiccup's pants the pull the knife from the mattress' grip. Dabbing at the wet sink, Toothless scrubbed a the toothbrush before gripping every open spot until no surface hadn't been pressed against his fingers. After what felt like forever, Toothless tossed the weapon between their bars, letting it slide down the hall several feet.

Slipping down the wall, Hiccup watched Toothless climb back in his bed, turning his to his side again, away from his bunk-mate.

The three in the morning walk-thru sent the alarms roaring and the warden came through the halls. Each convict was collected brought out to the middle of the floor, dressed in either their wrinkled uniforms or their underwear, to have their person checked for additional weapons as their rooms were tossed about. The shank, put into an evidence bag, was carried out for all of them to see as several guards shouted for answers, promising leniency for the truth of who had possessed the weapon.

Silence filled the room. Every convict looked at one another, waiting for the person to step forward that disturbed their rest and was causing the guards to go through their things. On a table, contraband was piling up and names of those who were in possession of the items were being written down for punishment. Finally, Toothless stepped forward.

"The shank was mine, Warden Mildew." The leader of the Black Dragon's held his head high.

"You!" Mildew hissed, stomping towards Toothless. "You've been nothing but a pain in my side since you came, McCaine! I want him out of my sight this instance!" Two guards came up behind them, one with curling thick blonde hair, almost white even. Without fight, Toothless put his hands behind him, letting the man with the thick curls cuff him.

"Officer Sheep, I didn't disturb you and the warden this late at night, did I?" Toothless grinned.

The man growled. "It's _Sheleep_."

"_Bah._" Toothless bleated. Hiccup choked back surprise with a baton was slammed into Toothless' solar plexus, knocking him to his knees. Groaning, Toothless glared as the warden pulled his head back.

"I can't wait until they put the needle in your arm."

With a sneer, Toothless spit in the warden's face. He was punched again, but none of the guards turned to look as the emptied out the next cell. Hiccup stayed tense as they dragged Toothless from the room. Mouth parted in surprise, he felt the desire to step forward and admit that it was his shank and not his cellmate's. He wanted to tell them that it had come from Red, but he couldn't find the words.

It took four hours for them to clear out all the cells of contraband, piling up the center table with cigarettes, a surprising amount of marijuana and spice, multiple weapons, and a wide collection of porn. Checked and cleared from any contraband, Hiccup was permitted to shower and go to work as things quieted down.

He met with Fishhook in the kitchens where they kept their conversations respectfully away from the debacle in the morning. They spoke about their plans after their sentences were done, no matter how farfetched the dreams appeared to be or even unlikely that they would actually leave BMS.

"No seriously, they're this big!" Fishhook hung out his hands to indicate the hot dog at the local diner in his hometown. "Takes you a good hour to eat one and that's if you've starved yourself for two, maybe three days. My brothers and I used to go to Kirk's diner every month to treat ourselves. When I get out of here, that's the first place I'm going. What about you?"

"It's been over a year since I went to my dad's cabin out in the woods. They have this toasty fire and it's like stepping into old world. He bought it back when I was in high school and studying microeconomics as an elective. Apparently I was this real basket case and he'd send me there every year once I finished my finals, for relaxation time. No computers, no math, no calculators. It was just me and a good book. Sometimes he or Gobber would come up and we'd go hunting. You know, be rugged for a few days." Hiccup shook his head. "I didn't think having a hunting license would ever haunt me."

Fishhook smiled. "Sounds like a piece of heaven. My old man hit the road as soon as he could." He grabbed the spare trays set up by staff for the workers. Hiccup grabbed his own tray and the two took the furthest tables from Red's group, trying to keep low. "So you've met Toothless." He finally pushed the topic, biting into his apple while his other hand poured the milk into his prepackaged bowl of plain cereal.

"He... seems all right." Hiccup admitted, stirring in his own milk into the bowl. His stomach growled at the thought of food in such a quantity. The first bite lit up his taste buds. "I mean, I expected some big guy, bigger than Red with thousands of scars. Not...that."

"Yeah, he has a good face. Remember, he's here for a reason." Fishhook sipped his spoonful of milk nosily.

"Well, there's more than that." Hiccup leaned in, glancing across the cafeteria towards Red's group. "He protected me last night, Fishhook. I mean, that knife they found... it was on me. I was holding it and Toothless was lying there and..."

Choking on his food, Fishhook leaned in, his voice low. "You mean you tried to _kill _Toothless? Shit..."

"Red told me to do it and... he promised to leave me alone if I did it. Toothless, he somehow knew and when I went to stab him he moved. He could have turned me in but he didn't."

Fishhook rubbed his forehead, biting his bottom lip. "You didn't really think Red would leave you alone just because you killed his enemy, did you? Do you know that two things would have happened if you had killed Toothless - one, you would have become a Red Dragon and under Red's control. Two, you'd have an actual murder charge added to your sentence. You get off on that hit and run charge, you'll be here forever for murdering another gang leader and the Black Dragons will want revenge."

Hiccup shivered at the thought. He hadn't thought about that. "I don't want to be part of this anymore."

"You're already a part of this." Fishhook rubbed his temples. "You can't agree to do anything for these guys without thinking about it clearly." Fishhook leaned in. "And I'd suggest not telling _anyone _about what had happened." The Filipino nodded towards the busy canteen. Hiccup glanced over his shoulder, swallowing as he saw Warden Mildew moving down the rows, ordering convicts to behave. At his elbow, Sopp Sheleep, stood proudly.

Leaning over, Hiccup whispered, "I studied Norwegian in college - his name means Fungus."

"Whose?" Fishhook chuckled.

"Officer Sheleep." Hiccup giggled.

Laughing, Fishhook closed the distance between them to whisper, "You still have a lot to learn, Fish. It's 'Sheep'. Looks like one, follows like one, fucked like one."

The two broke out into full fits that gained the attention of the warden. With a jump in his step, the man moved towards them without any hint of intention. Would they be yelled at like the works of a deranged drill sergeant? Or maybe sent into solitary for daring to laugh at the man of power? Hiccup couldn't help but wonder if either Fungus (he much preferred that name to _Officer Sheleep _any day) or Mildew could hear what he'd said.

"You, New Boy! Identification number!" The warden hissed even though Hiccup's name tag dangled from his gray uniform.

"E50BN, sir." Hiccup straightened his spine to gaze up at the old man.

Fungus tapped the number into his tablet. "Hiccup Haddock, the mayor's boy. Sally Rider's killer."

"Like attacking little girls, hm?" Mildew made a low noise. "Get up, my office, _now_." He straightened his own rigid back. Hiccup glanced at Fishhook, who shrugged his shoulders with uncertainty. About to grab his tray, Hiccup jumped when the warden's voice carried. "Leave it!"

"I'll throw it away for you, Hiccup." Fishhook whispered.

Nodding, Hiccup let Fungus cuff him. He was dragged out by the sheep-like man towards the back halls where guards were walking until they entered the secured interview room in the center building. The one way window reflected Hiccup's haggard face back and Hiccup swallowed the surprise he saw. He looked so _old_.

Rubbed his hooded eyes, Hiccup twisted his neck to look at Warden Mildew as the man shut the door. "I want to know what happened last night."

"E, excuse me?" Hiccup breathed.

Mildew growled. "This!" He slammed the shank through the wooden table. The bristles of the toothbrush gazed upon Hiccup with accusation, begging out _why would you touch me? _Hiccup swallowed. If they knew it was him, over Toothless with all intent to kill, he would have attempted murder added to his list of charges. God, how did his life end up so chaotic? "Where did Toothless get it?"

Stunned with the question, Hiccup tucked his hands under his thighs. "I, I don't know. I..."

"Tell me what happened last night."

Had they already asked Toothless? What story did the leader give them? Hiccup swallowed. "I, it isn't very clear. So much happened." Mildew's glare seemed to sharpen more and Hiccup swallowed a lump in his throat. "We went to bed and then the guards did their duty and then...Toothless... had the knife in his hand and he was holding it over me and..." The lies were becoming softer, unsure. Hiccup felt his ears burn with tears, remembering what he'd done that night.

He almost _killed _a man. For what? Protection? What had become of him?

Fungus whispered in Mildew's ear and faintly Hiccup picked up the words, "McCaine said the same thing."

Growling, Mildew kicked his feet out and nudged the table. "Let me make this very clear to you, Haddock. I don't support these gangs in my prison. You think joining one will make you safe but it won't. I will _burn you_. Each little member of your group will burn if I get a say in the matter. You best be making it clear to those children that you have no power here. Your _father _has no power here. Am I clear?"

"Y-yes, sir." Hiccup tucked his head low, not wanting to make any contact with either man in the room.

"So let's make a deal."

_Here it comes..._

"You tell me what those two gangs are up to, I can make this a very... comfortable sentence for you, one which you're more accustomed to." Mildew leaned against his desk, his ankles crossed. "I can get you a new cell, a single. We can move your work to another station in the prison, I heard you enjoyed reading. We have a small library that is never a strong working zone. Mostly you putting away books and informing us of any books that have been carved to hide contraband in. Pays four cents more than you're making now."

Hiccup swallowed. "You want," he croaked, "me to snitch?" He'd seen movies about prison snitches and it never worked well for them.

"Snitching is such a harsh word. Be my ear in the prison block, stop any more of my inmates from dying and I'll help you."

"I..." Hiccup breathed. "No." He finally looked up. "I don't want any part of this stupid gang war."

"Now, Haddock," Mildew started.

"No. If you ask again, I'll inform my father," who wouldn't listen anyway, "about the current state of this prison."

For most it was an empty threat. Stoick's control was only limited to the city of Berk and even that was through a series of checks and balances. It was more of a threat because of his link with the Governor's office, the man who was actually his father-in-law. Hiccup's mother's side was very influential in politics and Hiccup had been raised by stories from his grandfather about how they had a Supreme Court Judge in their family but he wasn't sure how true that was. Either way, they had some high people in their pocket.

Mildew knew that it wasn't an empty threat. Scowling, he stood up. "Well, you know where to find me if you change your mind." He nodded towards the door. "Officer Sheleep will lead you back to work."

Hiccup followed the guard through the halls again, neither considering the other until Hiccup was deposited in the loud kitchens. Fishhook, stirring the beans and franks, glanced up at him while others cleaned up the trays. The head cook waved Hiccup over before he could go about helping make lunch. Exhaling and mentally cursing every guard in the prison, Hiccup moved over to the tall, aging man.

"Need you to make tray rounds to solitary." The man nudged the cart over. Hiccup glanced over the thirteen trays. "It's simple," the chef continued, "You take them down to solitary, the guard will unlock that level for you. Pick up the breakfast trays. Don't talk to any of them." He turned to supervising, cutting open boxes when requested.

Grasping the cart handle, Hiccup moved to the wide doors, freezing as he caught sight of a box of the chef's favorite cookies. Sometimes he'd give a treat or two to the staff for going above and beyond their duty, such as taking the initiative to clean up the messes left by other prisoners. Glancing over at the head chef, Hiccup grasped two cookies and slipped them into his pocket before sliding out the door with lunch.

Officer Phlegma was one of the few female guards that Hiccup worried about. She wasn't unjust but he'd seen her power-drive a prisoner or more than one occasion. With a plump face and bright smile, she reminded him of his mother, even when she was kicking prisoner butt. She offered him a reassuring smile, talking about her upcoming date and suggestions for a restaurant. Hiccup kept a firm hold of the cart as they entered a secured elevator leading to the lower floors.

"We have thirteen solitary cells. Five of those cells are continuously in use; two of the others are temporarily in use." Phlegma crossed her arms across her tight uniform. "Start the clearing on Cell Seven." Hiccup moved to the cell, noting absently the coded lock on the firmly latched door. There was a tiny window at the top and he glanced through at the burly bald man currently doing sit-ups. Stifling the scared noise, Hiccup bent down to the small storing drawer at the bottom where the breakfast food tray was set, cleared. Replacing it with the lunch tray, the brunette stood on his nervous feet and moved to the next one.

He found Toothless in Cell Eleven, sitting on the bunk and staring at the wall with half-lidded eyes. Reaching into his pocket, Hiccup carefully removed the cookies from their protective cover, slipping them on Toothless' tray. The leader of the Black Dragons moved to the door with the arrival of his food.

"Thank you." Hiccup whispered, letting go of the tray. It moved all the way and Toothless' face appeared in the window, looking down at Hiccup. He nodded into his cookie.

"Keep moving, Haddock."

Hiccup shifted to the final four prisoners before continuing out the door. A quick glance into his cellmate's confinement told him that Toothless was sitting at his small stand, thoughtfully playing with the cookie, the rest of his food untouched. Smiling Hiccup nodded at Phlegma, letting him return up to the canteen to wash solitary's dishes.

It didn't escape his attention that suddenly his table in the corner of the room with Fishhook suddenly gained a few watchful eyes of men baring Black Dragon tattoos. Watching them from the corner of his eye, Hiccup didn't voice any concern for the sudden attention on him from either group.

Across the canteen, Red's attention was also on Hiccup but with rage that boiled around the iris. With a wave of his fingers, every man with a red dragon tattoo disappeared from the canteen, heading out to the recreation grounds. "Just stay inside and around guards." Fishhook whispered. "I don't know what you've done but I think that war has just broken out."


	3. Chapter 3

Behind Bars  
**By**: Selim  
**Rating**: M+  
**Warnings**: An alternate Universe consisting of - Drug use, swearing, homosexual themes, non-consensual sex, coercion, and murder  
**Summary**: Sent to prison for a crime committed by his cousin, Hiccup is put in a cell with the notorious Black Dragon Leader, Toothless. Finding himself in the middle of an open gang war, Hiccup is faced with the options: become the Red Death's play thing for protection, or seek protection with Toothless.  
**Pairings**: Toothless x Hiccup, Red Death (Queen) x Hiccup, Toothless x OCs, Red Death x OCs

**Disclaimer: I do not own HTTYD. This is a piece of fiction and the author is not making any monetary gain from its creation.**

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Thanks to: Neonkaii, AlexJohnD, Denonwolf, PureEmperor, Saya.Y-Lover, Neppi-chan, Allyeih, QuirkyRevalations, Your Failing Epicness, YoshisSupport, RainbowJapan, Spidermaster, Eevee9279, Eris is Laughing, BubbleBtch, Seiryuseijin, Every1s Beta, Loti Miko, Lilangelz429, Naveen0, Conayuk, Choseninstinct, and Gamer490

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During recreation, Hiccup tended to spend it in the library, browsing the poor excuse of a book collection that mainly consisted of bibles and poorly written novellas tossed out and forgotten long before the accountant was even born. Thumbing the spines, the brunette moved his way the furthest wall, only giving a passing glance at the aging inmates currently working that room. There was supposed to be a guard in the room but he wasn't in sight and, to be honest, Hiccup wasn't looking.

Bending a public law book forward to glance over the topics, Hiccup caught the soft voices of two interlopers in the other aisle, blocked from the watchful eye of the camera. With a heavy breath and eyes straight ahead, Hiccup gathered up several legal texts and moved to a small table sectioned as far away from the two. The older man with a faded red dragon across his aged face (the first of the gang, fifty years before) shifted his glasses at the book.

"You're not foolish to be your own public defender, are you?"

"Of course not." Hiccup chimed. "I'm an accountant, not a lawyer." He was looking into his earnings as it was to see how long and how much he'd need to work to get a lawyer that wasn't court appointed, or maybe make a few calls and see if a good lawyer was willing to do his case _pro bono_. His father had proved to be completely useless in the end, there had to be something else out there.

The old man - whose name tag read Bradley - snorted before looking back down at his magazines filled with hot rods and scantily clad women. "Used to be like you," He said absently after some time, "But after awhile, you learn to prefer being here than out there. Get used to it."

Which was the problem: Hiccup didn't want to get used to it. He'd already learned more than enough in his time there and with Toothless coming out of his most recent solitary; it would mark their second meeting since Hiccup had become an inmate at BMS. As such, their communication between the two had been limited to a few exchanged cookies or an extra carrot stick when the ration limit was only five per inmate. Since the event known as 'The Situation' that had put the gangs on the edge, Hiccup had laid low per Fishhook's instruction, taking hiding in places securely monitored by guards or where no one dared to enter, namely the prison library.

From behind the out-of-date encyclopedias, the guard for that area stepped out of the shadows, adjusting his uniform trousers without a glance towards the old man sitting at the desk or Hiccup in the corner. A few moments later, another man - a prisoner - stepped out, tucking his undershirt into his trousers. The man, brandishing a Black Dragons tattoo, slipped a distinctive white bag into his pants pocket while glowering at Hiccup.

Pushing his nose into his book, Hiccup hunched his shoulders and begged the gang member to just go away and leave him.

Luckily, the man did so.

Encouraging his shoulders to relax was the toughest thing Hiccup had ever done. The exhale that escaped his lips surprised even the old man from his magazine and their eyes met with a clear message, _you didn't see anything_.

And Hiccup filed it away as another thing that went on under Mildew's nose.

He spent the rest of his day, around work, keeping low. There was definitely a different air in the prison block, one that wasn't welcoming. He figured the distance between Reds and Blacks was a few more inches of ground, especially with Toothless out of solitary for the second time since Hiccup stepped into the prison. Fishhook, deep in a poker game with a book of stamps on the line, glanced up at him for a second but didn't say anything more. Under the table, a big hand was resting on his knee from one of the other players.

"Haddock." A guard paused in front of Hiccup, his scrutinizing gaze on the boy. "You have a visitor."

"What?" It wasn't visiting hours which meant only one of two things - his lawyer or his family. As it was, he didn't want to see his lawyer but he doubted his father would take the time out of his day to see his son. "Who?"

"Don't know, a big man." The guard shrugged his shoulders. "Look, I'm just here to bring you to him, I didn't ask for the details."

Exhaling, Hiccup followed after, through the throng of people and to the visitor room in the main halls.

Gobber was a tall, bulky man with a braided blonde mustache and a missing arm and leg. He was usually wearing a suit that seemed a size too small with a wide grin on his face that made him look like a simple man. Stoick had befriended the man as a school boy, both competitive sportsman. Whatever one man did, the other attempted to prove he could do better until there hadn't been a sport they hadn't joined at least once. When Stoick had entered politics thirty years before, it was only expected that he brought his best friend with him.

Until he was twenty, Hiccup had always believed the man to be his actual uncle. Birthdays and holidays came and the man had been there when actual uncles found themselves busy as state parties and foreign travels. When Hiccup changed his major from political science with a minor in mass communication to accounting with a minor in finance, his father became distant but his uncle had remained a sturdy rock.

"_He just wants to see you in the family business, pay him no mind. You do what you want to do_."

To see the man on the other side of a plastic window, Hiccup stopped next to the guard with actual fear. The last time he had seen the man, it had been in the courtroom before he'd been lead out to go here. Gobber had been on the fence about the whole situation, standing firm that it wasn't like Hiccup to commit these heinous crimes but compelled to follow the overpowering evidence.

Sitting at the last row of plastic seats that had been there since the prison received its overhaul twenty years before, Gobber was already reaching for the thick phone on his side while Hiccup settled on the other side. Nervously, he reached out and touched the plastic window, almost feeling the other man on the other side.

Gobber placed his big hand on the other side of the glass, aligning their fingers. Still thicker, Hiccup realized as he tried stretching his fingers out but the girth of Gobber's meatier ones still outstretched Hiccup's, even after all these years. Phone piece pressed against his mouth, Gobber spoke into it with a small smile on his face. Reaching for his own phone hookup, Hiccup laid it between his ear and shoulder.

"-You look good." Gobber repeated. "Have you been eating?"

"A little." Hiccup rubbed his hair, noting its dryness almost absently.

"I know it's not the best food, but you have to eat Hiccup. You're still so...little." Gobber sighed. "Now is no time to be picky." Hiccup nodded, the weight in his arms returning. "I deposited some money with the prison accounting for you, to make yourself a little more comfortable here. It's...from your father."

Hiccup frowned. "I know it's not but...thanks." He curled the short chain for the phone around his finger, enjoying the coolness. "I'm working the lowest paying job at the moment and have missed more hours than I'm willing to admit." He'd just have to keep quiet about the extra funds in his account, as red had been eyeing the recent acquisition to the prison shop or clear shelled televisions that could be shared by a cell.

The concerned look that crossed Gobber's face didn't go unnoticed by the accountant. "Do you want to talk about it?" Gobber tried when Hiccup didn't immediately go into discussion. Shaking his head, the older man brought his hands down, crossing them at the wrist with the phone bit pressed between his ear and shoulder. His posture was the same as always, _You can tell me anything and I'll never judge you._

"I'm being harassed by one of the gangs in here."

"You're no gangster." Gobber commented.

"That's for damn sure." Hiccup rubbed his temple. "But they don't exactly want me for my strength."

Biting back a laugh, the older man nodded. "That's true, I couldn't see you possibly holding a shank or something. I've seen you fumble with a butter knife, still got the mark to prove it." It held up his hand, showing the faint line of brown around his knuckle where, when Hiccup had been fourteen, thought it funny to stab the man for trying to steal the last piece of chicken. His father hadn't thought it was funny and after the fact, Hiccup had been remorseful for his actions, especially when it cost him the television for months. "So if they aren't after you for your bad boy skill, what are they after?"

Hiccup flushed.

Gobber swallowed. "Oh."

"Yeah."

Silence fell between then, neither able to make eye contact. Gobber finally cleared his throat. "Maybe if you weren't all...this," he indicated Hiccup through the window, "They wouldn't be interested."

"You just pointed to all of me." Hiccup whispered, astonished. It wasn't the first time they had had this conversation where Gobber had directed Hiccup to everything wrong with the outside of him. Back in high school, when Hiccup had wanted the hottest girl in school but she had (of course) wanted his athletic cousin, Gobber had been quick to explain that everything wrong with Hiccup.

"Yes!" Gobber cried out. "That's it! Stop being all of you! They'll leave you alone then!"

Narrowing his eyes, Hiccup leaned in. "Ohh..."

"Ohhh... yes." Gobber mimicked.

"You, sir," said Hiccup, a playful smile on his face, "Are playing a dangerous game. Releasing this much raw...gangster." He pumped his fist into his expanded chest, nose up as he'd seen Red walk around on multiple occasions. "There will be consequences, I will be bad!"

"That's right! Show them!" He raised his fist in the air but the muscles quickly relaxed. "You have to tell the warden if they hurt you, Hiccup. Everything. Just because you're in there doesn't mean they can do _that _to you without consent." He placed his big hand on the fake glass again. "You have to stay away from these gangs Hiccup."

"It's kind of hard when even my cellmate is one of the leaders." Hiccup laid his head on the cool plastic table in front of him. "I want to go home, Gobber. I didn't kill that little girl, please, you have to believe me." His voice caught at the last second. "Please, my father won't listen but you always have. Please, take whatever money is still in my account - all of them - and get me a lawyer, a good lawyer, outside of Berk."

Gobber's fingers stretched over the glass. "Hiccup..."

At the door, the guard cleared his throat. "Time, Haddock."

"I have to go to drug treatment." Hiccup explained as the guard approached him from behind. "Everything else I can do as I please but that one's not open for debate."

"I have to get back to your father anyway. He's leaving the office of mayor as of today, promised I'd be by his side. I'll try to be back middle of next month to deposit a few more extra funds but don't spend them all at once." Gobber forced a smile on his face. "You be good."

"Yes, sir." Hiccup smiled. They touched hands again through the glass before Hiccup was grabbed by the elbow and lead out of the small room.

His drug treatments were long group sit-downs in which the clients discussed things they could do instead of getting high while trying to place fault in themselves. Hiccup spent it looking out the door at the other self-help groups in session. His was the most populated one, in which every prisoner had been required to join at one point or another. At least each person that graduated from the class was likely to be back.

The meetings always gave him time to complete his own life in ways he had never done so before. Compared to several of these guys, he had a more than all right life even though he complained about it often. His father and his relationship had always been strained, especially when his mother had passed on but at least his father had been there. When Stoick had not been able to stand next to his son, Gobber had taken the man's spot, being a second father.

Even with his current situation, Gobber still proved to be there more than some of the convicts whose family had either abandoned them early in their life or by their first conviction. Many had turned to drugs as a way of coping at a very early age, starting with alcohol and moving to the harder drugs by their mid-teens. Prostitution and armed robbery were some of the earliest crimes of the men sitting in the circle, discussing how bad their lives had been.

Toothless' name was on the roster but his meetings while in solitary were one-on-one with a therapist. Hiccup stared at the empty seat in the middle of the row of Black Dragons, all of whom sat across from the Red Dragons without their leader who wasn't a part of these meetings. Of all the criminals, the two leaders' had the most hidden criminal backgrounds in BMS. Most of the convicts were repeat offenders, finally committing a heinous murder somewhere in the country, sent to the prison due to overpopulation in closer prisons.

Hiccup's criminal history started with the recent case, with the only thing he could think of in his past being a shirt he stole from the store because his father had refused to buy it. He'd been nine at the time.

"Home work is to write about what drug dependency is to you."

No one would do the assignment but it signified the end to the meeting and the return to jobs or cell time. Hiccup took to his work, wanting to get the job of taking meals to solitary. Since Toothless' return to solitary, he'd taken the job at least three times of the week so he could see Toothless on the other side of the metal door in the basement of the building. He would slip an extra desert or fruit on the plate, letting his fingers remain under the door to the leader's cell.

He could never say much, just simple comments about their cell.

"I cleaned your books up."

"One of your...guys dropped letters in your pillow."

"I replaced your cookies."

Toothless never said anything back, just watched with his green eyes that stared into Hiccup's soul. He still didn't know how, but from his spot under the prison Toothless still had a power over his gang and a word that spread like the wildfire. There was still a wave of protection around the brunette from the Black Dragons, sitting at his and Fishhook's table and keeping a distance from the Red Dragons.

The head cook gave Hiccup a low nod of his head when the boy stepped into the kitchen grabbing a coarse apron from a hook. "I want you to make the spaghetti today; the sex offender meeting is going to be late so we're understaffed today. One of the guards said he'd take solitary their dishes."

Scowling, Hiccup stumbled over to stove top, his eyes still on the metal rack of empty trays. It wasn't like it was important for _him_to deliver snacks for the dragon. By now, he was more than paid back for almost killing the Black Dragon leader. All he needed to do was follow Fishhook and Gobber's suggestion and just stay out of it. He didn't need to be my friend; he just didn't need to be my enemy.

"They're releasing Toothless a few days early." Fishhook chuckled while opening boxes to set milk pouches on trays. "There's a pool going on over how long it'll be before he winds up back in solitary." The coy smile on his face stretched further. "So, how are you going to top last time?"

"I'm not." Hiccup hissed, dropping noodles into the water. "I have more than made up for that debacle, now I'm going to make every effort to just ignore him, go to work, and focus all my attention to getting out of here."

"Well, you can always try running." Hiccup gave the man a dark look as Fishhook started running in his spot. "'I'm gonna make it, gonna-bam! Bam! Bam! Bzzt' - that's when the fence electrocutes you - 'Bam! Is he dead? Let's make sure! Bam! Bam!'"

"Get back to work." The head cook glared at them from his cutting board. Hiccup gave a mock salute, turning back to his boiling water.

"You think you're so funny." He finally said, stirring stiff noodles around the pot. Fishhook snickered into his wrist, head tilted back with a pleased smile on his lips. "No, I'm going to try working every day and save for a P.I., find some loopholes in the system to get out of here legally."

Fishhook flicked his wrist dismissively. "If you think it'll help. I know it's not the Hotel Hilton but it's not that bad of a place. We don't pay taxes, we get three square meals a day and a warm bed during the winter. Let's be honest, you have leverage that could help you for several years." Hand moving down Hiccup's body, Fishhook's lip curled lewdly.

"I thought you told me not to get involved." Hiccup scowled.

"Yea, with the gangs! But everybody offers something to make this place home. Besides, Toothless isn't going to be in solitary forever, you'll eventually get tired of blue balls. Might as well get something out of a pretty face. Not stamps, big things - books, cartons, dope, _script_."

Hiccup swallowed. "Prostitution."

"Now let's not label it anything like that," Fishhook shook his head, pulling out another crate of milk pouches from the industrial refrigerator. "I mean, that's the leverage you have over Red. If you offered your ass for his script, he'd give it within seconds. My advice is to use it, coerce your way out of here." Fishhook rubbed his dark head absently.

"Is that what you're doing?"

Sharp eyes turned to Hiccup. "What?"

"I saw, earlier during your poker game, that guy put his hand on your knee." Hiccup slammed the stirring spoon into the bundle of noodles, snapping them in the middle. Sex, sex, sex...that's all they ever wanted from him.

Fishhook leaned against the counter, staring at the trays piling up. "Nick? Yea, that's what he is for me. I'm not in one of the gangs but they control the contraband that comes in - the drugs that come in." Hiccup nodded, he knew that Fishhook was in an earlier drug treatment group - cocaine. "I also offer the nursing aid, he knows when we have drug test come up. I get my fix and still get it out before the so called random drug test comes up."

Hiccup frowned. "Couldn't he give you the wrong date?"

"Get to work you slackers!" The head cook slammed a box on the crates of milk. When he turned his back, the Filipino man continued.

"He hasn't yet." Fishhook sniffed. "Look, I'm just trying to help you make your stay as _Chez Maximum Security_more bearable but you have to meet me halfway here." He put the last milk on the tray and moved to the other pot, pouring a commercial sized can of sauce in. Hiccup glared over at the head cook, ensuring the man was only aware of their whispers and not the content. "Anyway, payday is coming up - that one time of the month they reward us for keeping the inner clogs working of our very own punishment. The phone cards and stamps are going to flow and a person who has worked on and off without any gang relations are going to be a highly desired man."

"And if he knows his worth, he'll offer his goods for a few more dollars?" Hiccup raised a brow.

"Or a number." Fishhook glanced over his shoulder before leaning his head in. "It works all ways though. If your cousin really threw you under the bus, he's still at large in the market which means you have connections in here that could... encourage him to tell the truth, to set the record straight." Fishhook gave him another look over. "All you have to do is make the right payment to the right person."

"And you know who?"

"Hm." A nod was followed by a glance around the small kitchen. "There're two gangs here but there are still people affiliated with smaller - bigger - outside ones."

Hiccup offered a sultry s mile. "Now, if I'm starting to think you're after a piece of this. Is it an offer?"

Fishhook tapped his nose.

Pushing against the other man's arm, Hiccup shook his head. "You're such an idiot." He shook his head. "I will keep my _goods_ until a rainy day." Besides, he didn't want to do anything illegal to get out of prison. He wanted to exhaust all his resources first while hoping that karma would finally come back and help him. _Just be good_, he repeated with a prayer towards the heavens.

Nearly a third of the men in the prison were late for dinner, including a large chunk of the Red Dragons. Hiccup counted his blessings when he was able to take his tray after the first batch of men went through the dinner line. Filling his plate with spaghetti, Hiccup moved to his corner of the cafeteria, closest to the guard rack. Fishhook joined him moments later, with an extra apple and a book of stamps on the side.

"Winnings." He explained, tucking the thin booklet into his pocket. "Price of gold." He patted his pocket before scooping up a forkful of stiff noodles and plain sauce that tasted a little too much like can.

Hiccup sipped his milk, watching as the Red Dragons came into the cafeteria, led by their leader. "Might want to keep them low." He nodded towards the man. Fishhook clenched his shoulders, folding into his meal with the smallest of curses.

"Who'd you win those off of, anyway?"

"Bucket." Fishhook dipped his bread into the sauce.

Hiccup sipped his milk. "He's part of the Black Dragons, right?"

"Second to Toothless." The Filipino nodded.

"And what are you using those for?"

"Save my ass for a few weeks. Gold. My cellmate has an old lady further south, likes to send her the occasional letter. He's good for a few smokes until the next payday at least. The rest goes to some protection from the Red Dragons and if I don't get any calls for other favors, I can still get a fix until the goods come in. At the same time, I have my brothers back home and I occasionally write to my best girl."

Smiling, Hiccup brushed a strand of lengthy hair from his face, making a mental note to set up an appointment with the prison barber when he did get paid. "That sounds nice."

"Hey, I heard you had company today. Not visitation yet, so who was it?"

"My uncle." Hiccup blushed. "He came to see how I was doing, make sure I was still alive." Hiccup pushed around the food on his plate, ears burning at the boisterous laughter filling the canteen as Red's gang became more and more rowdy with each passing second. "Talk a bit, we haven't done so since this whole debacle happened. It was...nice." Was Red looking over at him? Hiccup chewed on his bottom lip, quickly gathering his things. Fishhook did the same without asking.

"Seems to have done you the world of good," Fishhook agreed.

"Hey Fish!"

Hiccup tensed at the voice rising across the canteen, trying to place who it belonged to. Barf, as he was known, was a rougher member of Red's gang, one of the middle officials known for his rash behavior. He had a twin that also resided at BMS, a low member of the Black Dragons nicknamed Belch. Even with the gangs at current odds with one another, the two always placed each other before their gang lifestyle, which had caused enough fights since Hiccup's arrival than necessary. Fishhook claimed something incestuous between the two, but he never voiced this opinion too loudly.

Barf wasn't exactly a bad guy, but he also wasn't a great friend of Hiccup - a crony for Red more than anything else. "I have to get back to work." Hiccup asserted quickly.

"Won't take more than a second." Barf placed a bony hand on Hiccup's shoulder. "It's not for Red." He continued, almost absently.

"I'm not spying for anyone either," Hiccup pulled away.

Rubbing his hand over his short Mohawk, the tall man groaned. "Not that, I... look, can we speak in private for a second?"

Fishhook leaned in. "You can talk to him by the kitchens."

Hiccup crossed his arms. "Fine." He glared at his only friend. "But you will go away if I say to."

"Of course." Barf smiled, letting himself be led to the kitchen area. Using the large window where trays were being collected, Hiccup took up a wet rag, quietly cleaning trays as he waited. Barf, nervously, moved from wall to wall, watching the other inmates with a sense of paranoia before turning back towards the window. "Look, they say you're, uh... a whiz." He waved his hand in a circle, as if trying to reel words in. Hiccup blinked.

"I've been to college, if that's what you mean."

"Exactly!" Barf pressed his hands on the counter keeping him and Hiccup apart. A passerby gave him a confused glance that was just as hastily ignored. "Look, I ain't too good with school, dropped out in high school because the teachers hated me but I have a shorter sentence than most of these guys, gonna get out in a couple of years, wanna make something of myself out there."

Hiccup scratched at a persistent speck on the tray. "So you're looking into some general education - GED - programs?"

"Prison got one, but I'm not very good at it. The numbers, you know. Can add small ones but once they put the alphabet into my math problem, it's all over." Barf rubbed his forehead. "Belch tried helping me- dad used to say we only had one brain, I was always good at the history and reading but he was awesome at math and science. I just don't want him thinking I'm stupid, you know? I'm his older brother."

"I thought you guys were twins?" Fishhook leaned over the counter. Barf glared at him.

"We are, but I'm older by seven minutes. I have to take care of him." Barf leaned against the counter, turning all his attention to Hiccup. "But I hear you're good at the math stuff too. Help me get my diploma."

Fishhook's leg pressed against Hiccup's. "I'm not sure..." He started, looking at the Filipino and then the tall lengthy man.

"What he means," Fishhook started with a pleased smile, "There's nothing here for free, you know that. What does he get for helping you?"

Barf blinked. "W, what do you want?" He asked.

Hiccup frowned. It didn't seem right to become part of this barter system, at all, but he understood what needed to be done. Nothing was for free and he wasn't willing to part with his funds so easily. "I like strawberries." He said, almost absently. "The prison store had some this last week." And they weren't that expensive, just a luxury. Hiccup's money, that didn't go to Red, was needed for his court case.

"Strawberries?" Barf blinked, as if confused by the suggestion of something not illegal within the walls. "That seems... fair."

"Every month," Hiccup elaborated further, "The store sells strawberries, the price varies by month but I want one box of strawberries per month to pay for services that month."

Leaning over the counter, Barf held his hand out. "Deal!" He grabbed Hiccup's hand. "Thank you so much!"

"We can meet in the library every Tuesday and Thursday for thirty minutes during recreation period to look over the assignments. If you don't show, the contract is still in place and I will still receive strawberries, whether or not you came until you either pass with your GED or leave the program." Hiccup held firm on the hand. When Barf returned the shake, he offered his best smile. "Off you go then, your friends are looking for you." Hiccup indicated Red's group, on the path out of the canteen without emptying their trays.

"I have a lot to teach you, grasshopper." Fishhook rubbed his eyes with a shamed look on his face.

Hiccup could only smile.


	4. Chapter 4

Behind Bars  
**By**: Selim  
**Rating**: M+  
**Warnings**: An alternate Universe consisting of - Drug use, swearing, homosexual themes, non-consensual sex, coercion, and murder  
**Summary**: Sent to prison for a crime committed by his cousin, Hiccup is put in a cell with the notorious Black Dragon Leader, Toothless. Finding himself in the middle of an open gang war, Hiccup is faced with the options: become the Red Death's play thing for protection, or seek protection with Toothless.  
**Pairings**: Toothless x Hiccup, Red Death (Queen) x Hiccup, Toothless x OCs, Red Death x OCs

**Disclaimer: I do not own HTTYD. This is a piece of fiction and the author is not making any monetary gain from its creation.**

_**I haven't stopped writing or anything, just life has gotten really busy so there may be a hold between chapter updates while I struggle to find time to write.**_

_**Thanks to: Malec-obsessed-fan126, Combat 101, QuirkyRevelations, SpyroKing51, YoshisSupport, Saya.Y-Lover, Allyieh, Whitebengal14, Guest, Final Syai Lunar Generation, Neppi-Chan, NeonKaii, Ciega Chica, RainbowJapan, 19Yoshie27, N31K0, Guest 2, Addie-Lala20, Guest 3, LoveOneself, Kamaleen, Guest 4, KimJustKim, Takara Yume, BubbleBtch, OSeiSan, Bianca, BrittanyChayanne, Kuya, Nmking, G_Quinn, Purplex16754, Seiryuseijin, Conayuk, Loti_Miko, Naveen0, and Arisahasekura**_

* * *

The rattle of his cell door woke Hiccup found a sound slumber. Tugging the blankets up, he passed a glance off towards the disturbance with a false sense of concern. Toothless' blank stare met his, but neither spoke as the guards finished the checks.

When the cell door was closed, Toothless brought his handcuffed hands through the small slot, allowing their removal without complaint.

"Try to last longer than a day." The guard chuckled. "It's boring here without you."

"I think Mulch likes it like that." Toothless replied back, voice hoarse from lack of use. "And you know how much I just _love_ making that man happy."

The guard chuckled, passing a shared glance at his companion. "Well, at least try to stay out of trouble." He started off with his coworker, talking in a low voice.

Bringing his arms closer to himself, Hiccup tensed as Toothless approached their bunk, settling on the solid bottom one with the lowest of groans. Tongue thick, the brunette waited for anything to happen but Toothless remained quiet on his bunk.

_You have to live with this man, least you can do is be civil._

His heart raced as he formulated scenarios to start a conversation with this dragon leader. The weather came up many times, but seemed like a sore subject as Toothless' time outside had been restricted to a little cage outside, during the early hours when none of the prisoners were allowed in the court yard. It would only be a reminder of Toothless' solitary caused by Hiccup, which included other topics such as the man's family (lack of visitation hours) and television (solitary did not get to use the television found in the recreational room).

"Your breathing is pissing me off."

Forgetting how to exhale, Hiccup grabbed his blankets as he realized Toothless was still sitting up in his bed, still awake and waiting. For what? Retaliation? "I-I'm sorry." Hiccup focused on a break in the smooth ceiling. Toothless stood up.

At full height, the leader of the Black Dragons towered above the top bunk, which stopped around his ribs. He didn't look like the terror Hiccup had built up. He had always seen the man chewing quietly on cookies in a cell, a thoughtful philosopher with the weight of the world crossing his mind. This was the opposite, an angry gang leader that he'd heard only through the rumor mill.

The actual Toothless had natural sun-kissed skin, almost a caramel in coloring with the right color. His dark straight hair laid flat on his head, touching his smooth chin. High cheekbones, green eyes, and narrow lips. He looked like someone Hiccup could see as maybe a model in a real world, not a blood thirsty leader in jail for questionable deeds.

_He hasn't forgiven me!_

"I'm so sorry!" Hiccup pulled himself up, clasping his hands together against his chest in a beginning motion. "It was a stupid mistake, I've learned my lesson, I swear-"

"Give me your pillow." Toothless held his hand out.

Doing so, Hiccup watched as it was ripped open by the man, the feathers flying in the stale air towards the dirty ground. The fact that he'd have to buy a new one didn't matter. Better the pillow than his arm, or something worse. "What does he have you doing now?" Toothless growled low.

Stiff, Hiccup shook his head. "Nothing!" He rushed out. Even in whispers, it still came at such a high pitch echoing across the prison cell. "I swear, Toothless. The last thing Red demanded from me was my pudding cup just yesterday. I'm _not_ a Red Dragon." He emphasized the last point, pulling his shirt up to show his pale skin, blemished only from bruising caused by Red's gang a few days before when Hiccup had skipped on a meeting with the leader in favor of hiding in the library.

"Hm," Toothless snorted, "As if he wouldn't try something. He's been trying to do me in this last year." He leaned back against the parallel wall, hands where pockets would have been if it weren't a security risk. "He has to be after something." He dropped his head back, looking up at the ceiling with a hardened glare.

Hiccup swallowed. It sounded so loud to his ear; in fact the whole prison seemed silent for the first time since coming there. Toothless rolled his shoulders with a low noise before sliding into his bunk again.

Pressed against the wall, Hiccup stayed awake the rest of the night. The loud chime of the morning bell made him jump to his feet, making his ankle ache as he pressed near the bars, eagerly waiting for the guard to come through the hall and prepare the inmates for their daily rituals. Last group to shower, he'd have to wait with Toothless' cold gaze eating into his back as the prison caller, sitting across the hall in his bed watched for the latest gossip coming from their cell.

"You should be mindful of who you become friends with here." Toothless' voice echoed across their tiny cell. "Friends are... nice, especially those that will watch your back against the enemies you're sure to accumulate."

Grasping the bars, Hiccup tensed his shoulders. "You wouldn't get enemies if you avoided this gang system nonsense." He didn't know where the bite had come from, but embraced it.

"Is that what you think?" Toothless chuckled. A quick glance over his shoulder told him the gang leader was settled back against a pillow on his own bunk, hand pushing back long bangs. "That it's simply avoiding the gangs so you won't become a part of the problem? How has it worked for you? I understand you're under Red's attention, making you someone with a huge target over your head." His smile faded. "But why is he after you, I see nothing impressive so far."

Knuckles white, the brunette felt his shoulders shake.

"No muscles, so you're not a runner. No brains, I mean we've seen how your planning goes. Just a note in the future: don't contemplate the crime, just do it. Getting out of bed, pretending to pee, nervously standing over me, you're lucky I didn't shove that shank into your tiny heart." Toothless sat up. "So what is it that he's after? Or has, Red doesn't just go after anything. If he wants it, he takes it, and if he doesn't...he just brushes it aside like yesterday's trash."

The man climbed out of bed, making his way towards the bar. Big hands pressed against narrow hips, causing Hiccup to gasp as he was pressed against the cold bars of the cell.

"Is this it?" Toothless whispered, his warm breath wisped over the shell of Hiccup's ear. "He just has you, under him, moaning out his name. Or is it crying? Red's not known for being turned on by compliant lovers. I bet you cry all the same though. You want it, but you beg otherwise." His hand moved up the cell, grasping Hiccup's wrist tightly as his lips moved to the back of the brunette's neck. "What do you get out of it? Protection? A dangerous game for someone claiming he's not part of these gangs."

Goosebumps scattering his pale skin, Hiccup gasped as Toothless' hips pressed deeply into his own. The prisoner trousers left nothing to the imagination. The outline of the Black Dragon leader's cock was noticeable. Every ridge of his hips, the curve of his thighs - Hiccup could feel it all.

The cell bars being ripped from his hands as the guard's voice echoed across the main hall to line up was welcomed. Tumbling forward, Hiccup darted to the wall, resting his sensitive bottom against the protective barrier with his hands tucked in front of him and waiting for inspection. Toothless stepped out with more of a purpose, standing next to the accountant with his eyes straight, breathing even. It was as if he hadn't been in a compromising position only seconds before.

"-If you are receiving a visitor today that has been approved, you will be escorted to the phone booths. Do keep your 'conjugal' visits short - Tiby - as it interferes with another man's visit with his significant other. If a part of you comes out in the open - Tiby," There was a shared chuckle across the halls; Hiccup blushed at the thought of a man openly masturbating at the call booths. "-Then calls will be shut down for another month. Don't ruin this for your fellow inmates. Form a straight line."

Several guards kept the men in place in the line as it moved down the hall towards a small bulletin posted about men receiving their biweekly visits. These were rewarded, of course, on good behavior. Special privilege visits were from lawyers, allowed at all times. Normal visits were weekly from family, who had to undergo a lengthy approval wait period. Biweekly visits were even lengthier in wait, but it allowed friends and girlfriends to visit loved ones.

It was usually easy to tell who was receiving visits. Men's faces lit up like Christmas knowing that on the other side of a thick, durable window was going to be someone they knew from the other side. All men remained in the single file line, aware of the unspoken promise that their visit could be canceled for misbehavior. Surprisingly, this sobered even the most childish of men to stand straighter and wait.

Hiccup moved his finger down the list when his turn came up. As he expected, his name was passed over. Gobber was busy these days, Astrid was probably getting on without him, and most of his friends dropped him when the charges came up.

Behind him, Toothless didn't even glance at the list before continuing after Hiccup.

Showers were a rush. The men were only given between five to seven minutes to wash off before the line would be shut for the next man to get in. Usually, the gaze of a guard followed Hiccup into the cubby but that was easily ignored with the reminder of it being the man's job. He would constantly check for men with a straggle, suggesting the hiding of contraband. Today, the green eyes of the Black Dragon Leader followed the brunette, making his move faster than he had ever before.

Three minutes in, Hiccup was grabbing his generic towel to cover his bare form before moving to the clean uniforms being handed out. Next was towards the high sinks in the corner, where he brushed his teeth with a vengeance. The last thing to come into his possession was his prison ID, handed back and clasped neatly on the top button. Pressed and neat, Hiccup stood at the door, hoping his timing would put distance between him and Toothless.

Toothless was much further behind, his own uniform carelessly put on with the white button up shirt unbuttoned, to show his undershirt. ID snapped on the hem of his pants, he sauntered over with an amused grin at Hiccup, who glared back.

His ID was ran, placed into an infinite data system to signal he was, in fact, still alive before he led the line out towards the recreational area, located inside today. The men carried off, some towards the old television off in the corner already showing early morning game shows, while others moved to the old foosball table.

On his attempt to move to the library, off the corridor, Hiccup was stopped by the guard's sturdy voice. "Haddock." He stepped over. "Word is you're doing small task for extra funds."

"Depending on the task." Hiccup whispered, watching Toothless from the corner of his eye. The caramel skinned man settled next to acting leader of the Black Dragons, relishing in the smiles and touches from his companions.

"Dirk, who's supposed to do laundry, is in sickbay with the flu. It pays ten cents an hour, but considering you work in the kitchens that's a lottery winnings. You want to take his shift?" The guard tilted his head back. Glancing over his shoulder, Hiccup frowned at the gang leader. Toothless, in the middle of a joke to his friends smirked up at Hiccup and winked before whispering in a lower tone to his second.

"Yes." Hiccup held his head high. "I will take that job."

Laundry took over three hours to complete, all under the supervision of the guard. Hiccup gathered breakfast in the middle, keeping out of Toothless' gaze in favor for protection of the obtrusive guard who was eager to know if he was related to _those_ Haddocks.

Around eleven, Hiccup skipped out from under the guard's watchful eyes, through the nearly deserted recreational room. The few stragglers were those who hadn't had visitors that day, opting to watch television or an indoor activity, under the watchful eyes of guards and cameras. Giving a few a cautious glance, Hiccup maneuvered himself into the library off in the corner.

The old guy who usually sat at the desk was absent. Alone in the library, Hiccup exhaled loudly. _Finally, some peace._

He moved with experience through the shelves, none taller than his hip, towards the back where the only single standing shelf was. It had a camera nestled behind it, but from experience it was known to not work half the time. This was the post people came to get high or have a share with inmates outside their cell. It was oddly empty for this time a day, which Hiccup took as a good sign as he grabbed a handful of regular novels from the shelves.

It had been a few weeks ago that he'd exhausted his legal textbooks with no idea where to start in his own trials. Wanting to remain invisible, he'd continued the prowl in the library, coasting through their limited accounting-for-dummies books(and updating them as he went) and finally, their extensive collection of poorly written romance novels only a lonely housewife could love. With some guilt, Hiccup had delved into this world, an escape where others had found narcotics and weights. _Hands, fingers, breasts, supple tummy..._

Toothless' hands on _his_ hips.

His world short-circuited with that thought. Toothless' touch had not been what he wanted, not today and especially not in the future. It wasn't anything like this built up Adonis, a farmhand across the way who sprouted prose and good feeling.

It was a want, a reminder that he'd been nearly four months without so much as a touch. Even in the privacy of his bunk, his fingers remained firmly at his side while his thoughts moved from sensual to realistic. People were watching his private life now, and he was becoming frustrated. Toothless' fingers on his hips were more suggestive than Red's hand tangled in his hair, forcing him forward. No, Toothless' was a smooth touch, light enough to break.

A touch that sparked something in Hiccup that had nearly been forgotten since his incarceration.

Stumbling back into the book, Hiccup focused on the words - safe words. Ashley Greene, a freelance journalist whose world now focused on her cowboy neighbor, definitely not a convict with a questionable history. The book was hardly sufficient as a form of porn, but it did fuel his thoughts along. Ashley's breasts were replaced with Astrid's small round ones, his cock brushing down the girl's belly instead of a cowboy's.

How sad was it that the only source of pleasure he had recently was Toothless? Sex had become a forbidden sport in his life, something to avoid at all cost. The last time he could remember actually obtaining an orgasm was a week before his arrest. Astrid's had been complacent during sex; something he realized later was expected when the girl was only obligating her duties to boyfriend Number Two. Apparently Snotlout had that need covered as well for _his_ girlfriend.

Hiccup tossed the book.

"Bad read?"

He nearly jumped out of his skin when Toothless' voice echoed across the library. The leader was leaning against the far empty desk, where the old man had been sitting only moments before. Grabbing a textbook from the shelf, Hiccup strategically placed it in front of the bulge in his pants, mindful of the gaze following his movements. Toothless chuckled under his breath, relaxing his body in a more welcoming form.

"You're not the first to try those books for a night of polishing the sword. Just give me the word, I'll turn my back when you're ready tonight." He smirked.

Hiccup stuck out his tongue. "That is sick."

"Then it's going to be a _very_ long incarceration." The gang leader stepped closer.

"It's none of your business what I do." Hiccup murmured, gathering his things from the floor. He reached around Toothless, to gather and return the romance novel in its proper place. He choked on his breath when Toothless grabbed at his hand. The gangster's grip was firm, trained and precise and Hiccup flinched.

"It is when it starts to gain the wrong attention." Toothless pushed. The air rushed from Hiccup's lungs as he fell into the bookcase, sending a few of the shelves tumbling. The gangster's hold on his wrist didn't relent, causing the brunette's arm to pull painfully back. "You upset the wrong crowds; piss off the wrong people." He leaned against the accountant's back, putting pressure on the shoulder joint. Hiccup stomped his foot on the dark-skinned man's covered foot, hoping to dislodge his attacking. It did nothing.

"W, who did I upset?" He finally forced from clenched teeth.

"_People_," Toothless hissed. "Your little 'betterment' project needs to end. Now."

Stomping his foot again, Hiccup glared. "It's people like you that screw over good people like Barf!"

"He was screwed since the beginning!" Toothless turned them, using the sturdier wall as a placing hold. Hiccup groaned with the pressure pushed into his nose. _Fuck..._ "You think you're helping him, but you're not. You just fucked over someone, ruined a system that has always worked!" He released Hiccup with another push. By the time he was able to turn around, the other convict was gone, the doors to the library closing. Glancing up, Hiccup scowled at the camera, not able to view that very spot.

It took several minutes for him to find his ground, returning to the recreational hall. Toothless had rejoined his group of thugs, talking in a hushed tone with trained eyes on the environment. Hiccup made a point to ignore them, stepping towards the doors leading back to the main prison and waiting for the guards to open and let them go for lunch. Red, curiously, was absent from the area, but Hiccup didn't put it past the man for being completely innocent either.

The bustle of inmates soon built up as people came back from visits with family, exchanging crude letters with friends or admiring family photos with envy. Hiccup watched them come and go, surprised that he felt nothing towards any of them that avoided him. _I am helping him._

Barf came in the recreational room, giving his brother a warm smile before disappearing with a fellow Red Dragon towards the foosball table on the left side of the room.

"Waiting for me?" Red's cold voice spoke beside him. Jumping, Hiccup took a step back, deducing the man. He had a letter grasped in his hand, which meant it had been approved by the prison for transfer, but he had learned from Fishhook that approval meant the prison had decoded the latest prison language. Transactions in paper form were just a common as outside. "Wonderful."

Fighting the urge to speak, Hiccup looked away. _You won't do anything with guards standing above us._

"Nice thing you're doing for Barf." Red finally commented with a mysterious smile. "He hides his problems so well; a pesky thing, not being able to do simple math. And you, doing all that for just a handful of strawberries."

"We all perform business in our own way." The words escaped Hiccup before he could stop them. Tense, he caught Red's smile stretch wide in the corner of his eye.

"That we do."

Why was his work suddenly drawing so much attention? Until Toothless had come back, his business had commenced cleanly through three lessons and one nicely packaged container of strawberries he hid along the cool wall in his cell, expiring with each second.

Red leaned forward, into Hiccup's personal space. "It would be a shame for something to happen to it."

_What are you going to do, burn the books?_ The horrible thought of them burning _him_ came to mind. Vicious mobsters from the old days flashed, their pull in the capitalism. _Shit, he would burn me if he has to. Why?_ "I'm not interfering on any of your business." At least he hoped he wasn't. "It's a private tutor, I teach for strawberries. Nothing illegal, nothing brushing along your business."

"Ah, see - that's where you're wrong. You have a business with my people, and I make no profit from it, therefore it is my business."

"I can give you strawberries, just ask. I hear my prices are cheap in comparison to cartons of cigarettes." Face maintaining neutral, Hiccup tucked his arms behind his back.

"And they say you college boys are so smart." Red patted his cheek. "I want your help in something else, barter." His smile disappeared. "Men that need your _tutoring_."

Hiccup frowned. "I run a basket of strawberries a client, but am willing to take other food items."

That made Red laugh, outright. Head tossed back, the man paused with a heavy sigh. "You are hilarious, Fish. Let me explain, the government requires them to take classes, learn to read - better themselves. Why should they do the work when we have someone who excels at the skill."

Hiccup huffed. "I'm not-"

"You _are_." Red leaned forward, trapping Hiccup against the wall for the second time that day. "In turn, I'm going to let you run your business. Sounds fair."

"You can't make me-"

Red's knee pushed between Hiccup's legs, trapping him in a suggestive position. It was then that Hiccup realized a crowd forming around, the voices of guards shouting for everybody to disperse to previous activities. "I can make you do whatever I want." Red breathed before letting go. His group disappeared just as quickly as they had appeared, allowing a guard to make his round, telling the crowd to back off while he investigated the disturbance. His eye fell on Hiccup with distaste, one probably linked with the knowing of _who_ he was and _what_ he was accused of.

The only thing worse was child molesters, but child murderer was a close second.

"You." He glared. "I think we can find something for you to do outside of trouble."

_Please._ Hiccup turned impatiently towards the door, ready to leave that area. He passed Fishhook on the way, who offered him the barest of nods before being deposited in the kitchens. The head cook gave Hiccup a scrutinizing glare before handing him the mop bucket to clean up the floors from the breakfast rush while the newest of inmates made food under the cautious head chef's supervision. When the guard's back was turned, Hiccup stuck his tongue out at the man before dabbing the mop head into the bucket.

It gave him time to think.

Toothless had warned him about his business, which seemed odd for a man who had only just heard about it today. He only had one client, Barf, and that was with the Red Dragons. As far as he'd known, Belch was supposed to be unaware of his brother's attempt to change himself, but it seemed that someone had leaked the truth back. Whatever that meant, Toothless wanted Hiccup's business to shut down.

Which was becoming more appealing as Red's proposition came to mind. The fear of rape, in front of all those men, under the guard's noses was a constant threat in his life. To avoid it, he'd almost agreed right there to cheat and do all of the Red Dragon's assignments from the general education program at the prison.

At the same time, he had to wonder if the threat was a prominent as he really thought. Red had been threatening sex since the beginning and had never forced his promise outside of oral sex. Even his goons hadn't tried anything, out of fear of ramification from their leader.

And it was so tempting to use this power to get whatever he wanted from the Red Dragons. _But I would have to do all of their work for nothing._

"Stop staring at a wall, Haddock!" The head chef hissed, coming out with a rag to toss on a table. "Scrub chairs if you don't have anything productive to do." He marched back into the security of his back room.

For lunch, Hiccup joined the kitchens, passing trays to the inmates that lined up. His sharp ears picked up the talk of the day, from the reappearance of Toothless to the families left behind. A few even inquired about him, but never brought up the situation that had put him in the kitchens on what was supposed to be his day off. _At least it's more money on my paycheck._

Across the hall, Fishhook stepped, the package from earlier still clutched to his chest. He exchanged a few words with a guard before joining the line to collect his trays. "Old girlfriend sent me a box of treats." He explained, passing a brownie through the window. "Sorry that I didn't give you one earlier, but I had a few debts to pay off." He indicated the near empty package with an awkward shrug.

"It's no problem. Thanks for sharing." Hiccup set his treat aside on a paper towel, aware of the hungry attention the staff had given it almost immediately. "I'll join you out there in a minute, save me a seat?" He indicated their small table near the wall in back, currently empty.

The brownie was split evenly amongst the kitchen staff just as Hiccup gathered his own tray to leave. He'd only stepped out into the cafeteria for a second with Toothless' tall form stopped him. "Can't you people just leave me alone?"

"Red talked to you," Toothless stated, matter-of-factly.

"No shit." Hiccup murmered, catching site of the bulky man in the corner with his gangsters.

"What did he want."

"It's none of your business."

Toothless grabbed his elbow. "Look, it's your fault I'm so out of the loop to begin with. If you really wanted to pay me back, you'd be my ears. What did Red want?"

Hiccup frowned.

Lips parted only seconds before a loud commotion filled the cafeteria. Startled, Hiccup tried looking around the gangster to see what was happening only for the fourth time to be pushed, into a wall by a heavier body. Toothless, above him hissed, more aware with the surroundings as a siren went off around them. It was too much sensory input, everything was blurred at one.

From around a musclar shoulder, Hiccup saw the swamping of men in the corner where he normally ate at, where Fishhook was saving a seat for them. There were inmates running to and from the scene, in time with a few guards in the area. _Oh god..._ Hiccup swallowed fear.

_"Get down! All inmates get down!"_ A voice shouted over the siren as the wide doors on all four walls were opened, allowing the entrance of a riot crew. Hiccup didn't move, trying to get a better understanding of what had just happened.

He cried out as Toothless pulled him down, forcing him on his stomach. "Get your arms above your head," The Black Dragon hissed.

Hiccup did so, his lung catching. "W, what's happening?"

A heavy boot stomped next to them, cuffing their hands. "Remain on the ground," An armed man demanded. Hiccup craned his neck to watch. Someone, in the corner where he usually ate, was laying prone on his back. Someone was receiving immediate attention by guards in the area. Next to him, Toothless hissed.

"...Wires crossed...wrong fucking business..." Toothless glared at the scene. "_That_," he finally whispered, "Is why you should close your business. Your friend pissed the wrong person off."

The sight in front of him seemed all the more clear as guards positioned themselves in view of the convicts, each being accounted for while a medical unit was guided in. When they left, their cart contained one body, covered with a white cloth.

Without Fishhook, Hiccup's world had suddenly become scarier.


End file.
